Bitter Creek (Wyoming)
Encyclopedia
Bitter Creek is an 80 mile long stream
in the U.S. state
of Wyoming
. It passes through several Wyoming counties including Sweetwater, and Carbon
.. The creek rises near the Delaney Rim on the western side of Wyoming's Red Desert
in Carbon County
. For most of its course, Bitter Creek parallels the path of the transcontinental railroad
, and the modern route of Interstate 80
. It flows through the cities of Rock Springs
and Green River
before emptying into the Green River
.
In the coal mining heyday for Rock Springs in the late 19th century, the creek formed a boundary between a Union Pacific coal mining camp on the south, and an encampment of Chinese immigrant workers on the north.
On September 2, 1885, a mob of white miners, angry over labor and racial tensions, took control of several bridges over the creek, and attacked the Chinese encampment in the Rock Springs Massacre
.
Several railroad-built bridges cross the creek at various points between the two towns. A dirt road used for tower access of a Green River radio station KUGR
, requires a high clearance vehicle with four wheel drive to cross the creek. Most of the roads that run parallel to the creek in Sweetwater County are on railroad property.
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. It passes through several Wyoming counties including Sweetwater, and Carbon
Carbon County, Wyoming
Carbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of 2010, the population was 15,885. Its county seat is Rawlins.- History :Carbon County was organized in 1868....
.. The creek rises near the Delaney Rim on the western side of Wyoming's Red Desert
Red Desert (Wyoming)
The Red Desert is a high altitude desert and sagebrush steppe located in south central Wyoming, comprising approximately 9,320 square miles...
in Carbon County
Carbon County, Wyoming
Carbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of 2010, the population was 15,885. Its county seat is Rawlins.- History :Carbon County was organized in 1868....
. For most of its course, Bitter Creek parallels the path of the transcontinental railroad
First Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
, and the modern route of Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
. It flows through the cities of Rock Springs
Rock Springs, Wyoming
Rock Springs is a city in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 18,708 at the 2000 census. Rock Springs is the principal city of the Rock Springs micropolitan statistical area, which has a population of 37,975....
and Green River
Green River, Wyoming
Green River is a city in and the county seat of Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 11,808 at the 2000 census....
before emptying into the Green River
Green River (Utah)
The Green River, located in the western United States, is the chief tributary of the Colorado River. The watershed of the river, known as the Green River Basin, covers parts of Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado. The Green River is long, beginning in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming and flowing...
.
In the coal mining heyday for Rock Springs in the late 19th century, the creek formed a boundary between a Union Pacific coal mining camp on the south, and an encampment of Chinese immigrant workers on the north.
On September 2, 1885, a mob of white miners, angry over labor and racial tensions, took control of several bridges over the creek, and attacked the Chinese encampment in the Rock Springs Massacre
Rock Springs Massacre
The Rock Springs massacre, also known as the Rock Springs Riot, occurred on September 2, 1885, in the present-day United States city of Rock Springs, Wyoming, in Sweetwater County...
.
Several railroad-built bridges cross the creek at various points between the two towns. A dirt road used for tower access of a Green River radio station KUGR
KUGR
KUGR is an AM radio station located in Green River, Wyoming operating on 1490 kHz AM. It carries a soft adult contemporary and talk format. The station is owned by Wagonwheel Communications Corporation. KUGR won the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters board "Station of the Year" award in 2006....
, requires a high clearance vehicle with four wheel drive to cross the creek. Most of the roads that run parallel to the creek in Sweetwater County are on railroad property.